Ryan Coogler is now speaking out about an incident in January where he was mistaken for a bank robber in Atlanta.
The 35-year-old director, who is known for movies like Black Panther, was handcuffed by Atlanta police officers on Jan. 7 and taken out of a Bank of America location, per an incident report.
A man and a woman waiting outside in a vehicle for him were detained as police investigated the situation, responding to a “bank holdup call.”
In a statement, Coogler said, “This situation should never have happened. However, Bank of America worked with me and addressed it to my satisfaction and we have moved on.”
Bank of America also said in a statement: “We deeply regret that this incident occurred. It never should have happened, and we have apologized to Mr. Coogler.”
Ryan Coogler was clearly stunned when cops pulled guns on him as he tried to make a legal withdrawal from his bank account … and it was all caught on police body cam footage. pic.twitter.com/tlFWNSK5iQ
— TMZ (@TMZ) March 10, 2022
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Coogler reportedly went into the Bank of America to withdraw from his account and allegedly wrote a note to the bank teller that asked for discretion with the transaction.
“I would like to withdraw $12,000 cash from my checking account. Please do the money count somewhere else. I’d like to be discreet,” a handwritten note read in a photo obtained by TMZ who first reported it.
Police officers said in their report that the bank teller was a “pregnant Black female.” And when the bank teller went to withdraw the funds, an alert notification occurred because it was over $10,000.
The woman then “quickly advised her manager that [Coogler] is attempting to rob the bank. 911 was alerted and responded,” the authorities said.
Police acknowledged in the report that it was later determined “that the incident is a mistake” and that Coogler “was never in the wrong and was immediately taken out of handcuff.”
The report adds that he “was given an explanation of the incident as well as an apology for the mistake by the Bank Of America.”
Coogler resumed production on Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, the sequel to his 2018 Marvel hit, in January in Atlanta, The Hollywood Reporter previously reported.
The project had been put on hold due to COVID-19 setbacks and as well as Letitia Wright‘s injury.
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